Born in Germany

Since 27 June 2024 a child born in Germany is German at birth if a parent has 5 years' lawful residence and a permanent right to stay; both conditions are needed. The child can keep the parents' nationality too.

Passport134 visa-freeof 218 countriesPapers ready inAbout 7–20 weeksafter the birthDual citizenshipAllowedKeeps yours tooHealth care87/100

Baby's passport fee€37.50

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The visa your passport needs for Germany
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Who qualifies:A parent has lived lawfully in Germany for 5 years (habitual residence) AND holds an unlimited right of residence (e.g. settlement permit, EU permanent residence; Swiss free-movement permit also counts).

For your baby

Citizen from birthA Germany passport of their own
134 countries visa-freeof 218 countries
Keeps your citizenship tooGermany allows dual citizenship
Free to live, study and workIn Germany, for life

StAG § 4 - gesetze-im-internet.de Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz (StAG) § 4 Abs. 3 · checked Nov 3, 2026

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Whether having your baby in Germany gives you residence or a faster route to citizenship.

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How to start

Baby's papers ready: about 7–20 weeks after the birth

1
Get to Germany legallySign in to see the visa your passport needs.Prepare your Schengen tourist & business visa application Most parents stay about 3 months: airlines limit late-pregnancy flights.
2
Register the birthStandesamt (civil registry office) where the child was born, within one week.Official source About 6–12 weeksBerlin (Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg registry office): issuing the birth certificate currently takes 6 to 12 weeks once all documents are in. Foreign parents' documents must be originals with sworn German translations.Official source
3
Get the baby's passportFee €37.50 · Standard Reisepass for under-24s, 6-year validity (child passport abolished 1 Jan 2024; fee doubles if not applying at main residence)Official source About 1–8 weeksBerlin: a passport (Reisepass, also for children) takes up to 8 weeks; Express usually 4 working days if applied at the Bürgeramt by 11 am. Child and parent must attend. Children's passports (Kinderreisepass) no longer exist.Official source
4
Pass on your own citizenship
- Germany allows dual citizenship: the baby can hold both.